Combined wedge and balancing-weight for axes.



G. W. WALLACE.

COMBINED WEDGE AND BALANCING WEIGHT FOR AXES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23,1909.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

GEORGE W. WALLACE, OF IRMA, MISSOURI.

COMBINED WEDGE AND BALANCING-WEIGHT FOR AXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Application filed March 23, 1909. Serial No. 485,341.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE \VALLAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Irma, in the county of Taney and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Vedges and Balancing-lVeights for Axes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in tool heads and fastening and balancing devices therefor, and more particularly to a combined wedge and balancing weight for axes, especially those used by wood choppers and rail tie makers.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical device of this character which will effectively retain the head of an ax upon its handle or helve andat the same time balance the ax so that it may be cflectively used for chopping and splitting wood.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved combined wedge and balancing weight for a double edge or blade ax; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention applied to the ax, portions of the latter being broken away and in section; and Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical transverse sections taken, respectively, on the planes indicated by the lines 3-3 and l l in Fig. 2.

In the drawings 1 denotes the handle fitted in the eye 2 of an ax head 3 having two oppositely disposed cutting edges or blades 4.

5 denotes my improved combined wedge and balancing weight which is formed from a single piece of metal and comprises a broad, flat, longitudinally tapered or wedgeshaped blade 6 adapted to be driven into the top of the handle or helve 1 so as to spread the portion of the same within the eye 2 and effectively retain the ax head 3 thereon. Said blade (3 is formed integral with and depends from a large body 7 which is of such size that it. forms an effective weight to balance the ax and thereby permit it to be effectively used for chopping and splitting wood. Said body or weight- 7 is of the same width or thickness as the central portion of the ax head 3 so that it does not project beyond the side faces of the same, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 3, and the ends of said body or weight 7 are tapered longitudinally or pointed to provide the wedgeshaped points or ends 8, which latter are disposed over and are'in contact with the upper edge of the head, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Said tapered or wedge-shaped ends 8 of the weight also have their upper faces beveled downwardly and outwardly so that the upper surface of the weight is curved longitudinally from end to end. By shaping the ends 8 of the weight in this manner, it will be seen that the ax head will be reinforced and rendered stronger and that said ends will assist the beveled blades in splitting the wood into which the latter are driven. It will be further noted that the invention is exceedingly simple in construction so that itmay be produced at a small cost and will be strong and durable and thatit may be readily applied to an ax and will effectively accomplish its two purposes.

lVhile the invention has been shown and described as a combined balancing weight and wedge, it will be understood that the invention may be used merely as a balancing weight and its blade 6 may be of such shape that it will not act as a wedge for fastening the ax head on the handle but merely as a fastening means for the weight.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

The combination. of a handle, a double blade ax head having a centrally arranged eye to receive the handle, a flat top and flat sides, the latter converging toward the blade edges of the head and a wedge comprising a body arranged upon the top of the aX head and having a flat body to rest upon the fiat top of said head, said body having its top curved longitudinally from end to end, whereby its ends are tapered or pointed and the sides of said body being flat and converging toward its ends, said sides being flush with the side faces of the aX head and the pointed or tapered ends of said body extending close to the ends of the ax head g sear/-12 whereby said body will serve a a Wedge and In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my a flat tapered blade formed integral with Signature in the presence of two Witnesses. and projecting from the fiat bottom of said body and driven into the portion of the r GEORGE WVALLACE' handle Within the eye to retain the body Witnesses:

upon the head and the head upon the handle, RosEN KEITHLEY,

substantially as shown and described. ADEN SWIFT. 

